One of the most effective ways of getting people to discover and try your products or services is by offering a Pink Spoon - a taste of what it is that you offer. Pink Spoons come in many forms: an ezine, an ecourse, an audio program, a special report, etc., and they are usually free. It's a tried and true marketing strategy that if you offer someone a free taste of what it is that you do, they are much more likely to become a paying client or customer down the road.

Once you've created your Pink Spoon, the next step is to market it to encourage people to sign up for your list. The following are 15 proven ways to promote your Pink Spoon:

__1. Your email signature. In your email signature (your name and contact info that you put at the bottom of every email you send out), include a link that goes directly to the sign-up page for your Pink Spoon or to its respective autoresponder. Entice people to click through with a compelling question, followed by the link.

For example, one of my email signatures says:

"Are you exhausted from working 1:1 with clients, only to be just getting by financially?

Don't give up on your dream of having a profitable business AND time for a great life. Learn the secrets to leveraging your time

and talent by getting your FREE ecourse '5 Keys to Wild Abundance in Your Business.'

Simply send a blank email to clientabundance@aweber.com or visit http://www.ClientAbundance.com"

__2. Your website Make sure your sign-up form for your Pink Spoon is prominently placed on the home page of your website, as well as on every other page of your site. This way, no matter what page your visitor lands on, you're giving them an opportunity to opt-in to receive your Pink Spoon.

__3. Other people's ezines Ask to be mentioned and recommended in other people's ezines within your niche. Offer to do the same in return.

__4. Other people's websites Offer your Pink Spoon as a bonus to colleagues' in complementary niches to offer to their lists.

__5. Testimonials you write Write results-oriented testimonials for products or services you use and love. Give permission to the owner to post your testimonial to their website. Include a photo and/or audio for better results.

__6. Articles Write and submit articles within your niche. In the author's resource box at the end, promote your Pink Spoon by including the URL to your sign-up page or the email link to your autoresponder.

__7. Discussion lists Participate in discussion lists where your target market hangs out and offer your Pink Spoon, following the list's guidelines for promotions.

__8. Thank you pages On your thank you pages for purchases, offer your Pink Spoon. Your customer may not have signed up before buying your product or service and you want to give them an opportunity to do so before they leave your website.

__9. Your sales copy Peppered throughout your sales copy, give the opt-in form to sign up for your Pink Spoon. Most people don't buy on the first pass, but they will likely sign up for your free offering.

__10. Your business card On the back of your business card, tell people where to go to sign-up for your Pink Spoon.

__11. Teleseminars Offer content-rich free teleseminars and make it clear that your desired outcome is to have the registered guests sign up for your Pink Spoon, not to sell them anything.

__12. Directories List your Pink Spoon in the directories that are available to you via your membership in associations or organizations, and any directories specific to the packaging of your Pink Spoon. For example, if you offer an ezine, consider listing it with The Directory of Ezines at http://www.directoryofezines.com/

__13. Swap ads with others Offer to promote a colleagues' Pink Spoon in return for promoting yours as ads within each other's ezines. Run your ad for a minimum of three consecutive issues for the best results.

__14. Tell everyone Don't forget to tell everyone on your contact list about your Pink Spoon. Send them the link to your sign-up page, and ask that if they cannot benefit from it themselves to please pass it along to someone who would.

__15. Offer a free bonus. Offer a bonus or gift as an added incentive to sign-up for your Pink Spoon. A special report, an audio program, or something similar that is in a different form than your Pink Spoon. For example, I offer my ezine as a bonus for signing up for my free 5-day ecourse.

Remember: Never add anyone to your list without their permission.

These 15 tactics will help you promote your Pink Spoon and add significantly to your list numbers. Just implement them consistently, and you will grow an audience quickly and easily.

Copyright 2005 Alicia Forest